Problems · NHTSA complaints
2008 Nissan Maxima problems
Owners filed 79 complaints about the 2008 Nissan Maxima with NHTSA between Feb 2008 and Sep 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (23).
Complaints
79
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags23
- Structure21
- Power train8
- Tires8
- Electrical system6
- Engine5
- Suspension4
- Vehicle speed control4
- Steering4
- Service brakes3
- Seats3
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Fuel/propulsion system2
- Exterior lighting1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
13
1
1
5
2
4
7
13
10
11
5
3
2
0
0
1
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 13 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 13 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 11 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
23 reports2 crashes
“AIRBAG LIGHT HAS TURNED ON. THEY WHERE NOT DEPLOYED. TRIED TO RESET THE LIGHT BUT IT STILL CAME ON. TRIED TO ERASE THE LIGHT WITH OBD2 READER BUT THE CODE NEVER SHOWED. THE LIGHT TURNED ON OUT OF NOWHERE. ITS BEEN ON FOR MONTHS.”
Structure
21 reports
“Heavy Rust/corrosion/hole in driver & passenger floorboard. Visible from underneath vehicle when the vehicle is up on the lift. I’m concerned my feet will go through the floor. Inspected by an authorized auto body shop and they confirmed this is very unsafe and a manufacture defect.”
Power train
8 reports2 crashes
“VEHICLE STOPPED FORWARD MOVEMENT IN MIDDLE LANE OF I-95 NORTH. ENGINE REVOLUTIONS JUMPED TO RED ZONE BUT NO FORWARD MOVEMENT. HAD TO COAST, IN LIGHT TRAFFIC, TO EDGE OF ROADWAY MERGE LANE. ENGINE THEN DIED. ENGINE RE-STARTED ABOUT 35 MINUTES LATER AND TRAVELED TO US HWY 1 WHEN SAME THING HAPPENED. VEHICLE DIED IN OUTER LANE. STATE POLICE ARRIVED AND ASSISTED IN PUSHING VEHICLE TO BUSINESS SHOULDER/DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES TO TRANSMISSION SHOP IN FREDERICKSBURG, VA WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION WAS GONE.”
Tires
8 reports1 crash
“TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM, HAVE DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT PROBLEM, I READ ON THIS WEBSITE THAT NISSAN REPLACED THE TPMS ON CARS AND SUVS IN NORTHERN STATES; BUT MY SOUTHERN STATE HAD A COLDER THAN AVERAGE WINTER AND NOW THE TPMS'S ARE OUT ON MY FAMILY'S 2 NISSANS. *TR”
Electrical system
6 reports
“AIRBAG LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING. SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE. NISSAN SAID THEY DONT COVER. ITS NOT INCLUDED ON THE WARRANTY. CLUSTER LIGHT ON DASH IS BLINKING ON AND OFF MAKING CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE.”
Engine
5 reports
“THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS PREMATURELY WEAR, CAUSING A WHINING NOISE AS THE CHAIN RUBS AGAINST THE TENSIONER WHILE THE VEHICLE IS TURNED ON. THIS WEAR EVENTUALLY GRINDS THROUGH THE TENSIONER RESULTING IN COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WHICH CAN LEAD TO A CRASH OR INJURY. THIS BEGAN TO HAPPEN FOR ME JUST OUTSIDE OF THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY, AND IS A COSTLY REPAIR FOR A PART OF THE ENGINE THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED WITHIN THE ENGINES EXPECTED LIFETIME.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.